Daniel Boone and his settlers in western North Carolina struggle against the British militia during the American Revolution; in the early 1800s, Cherokee leaders fight for the tribe's survival in North Carolina before the tragic Trail of Tears; and slavery opponents in Alamance County help blacks flee to freedom in the North before the Civil War.
Across the state and the nation, managers of outdoor dramas that bring these historic events to life believe that this year's surge in patriotism will bring them big audiences this summer -- patriotism, plus the sort of economic downturn that usually means more people take shorter, cheaper vacations closer to home.
The latter trend could, in turn, help the economy in communities where North Carolina's 13 outdoor dramas are performed, said Scott Parker, director of the Institute for Outdoor Drama, a public service agency of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"One purpose of heritage tourism is to bring money into rural counties," said Parker, citing tourism, at $12 billion, as one of the state's largest industries. "All but two of North Carolina's outdoor dramas are located in rural counties."
Of the 13, nine are history plays, three, Shakespeare festivals and one a religious drama. Last year, 220,000 attended North Carolina dramas. Ticket prices average $11, a bargain compared with the cost of many activities.
Nationwide, 122 theaters affiliated with the institute operate in 37 states, performing 45 history plays, 66 Shakespeare festivals and 11 religious dramas. All are described, with performance dates, locator maps and contact information, on the institute's World Wide Web site, www.unc.edu/depts/outdoor.
Theater managers believe also that the tenor of the times will help fill their parking lots, probably with plenty of Stars 'n' Stripes bumper stickers.
"Given recent events, this story of the price of freedom takes on a modern relevance," said Curtis Smalling, general manager of "Horn in the West" in Boone, now planning its 51st season. "The choices of that first generation of Americans in their struggle for freedom can give us hope and solace as we make decisions regarding our own freedoms in the face of a new tyranny of terrorism."
So far, trends look good. The nation's oldest outdoor drama, "The Lost Colony" in Manteo, had the same number of advance reservations on May 31 as two weeks later last summer, said executive manager Scott Dowd: "I think a lot of vacationers will drive this year, and that bodes well for this area."
Leisure travel -- for pleasure, not business -- may be up 6 percent nationwide this year, according to a recent survey by a Florida marketing and advertising firm.
"Pre-season inquiries have been much higher than in the past," said James Wilson, general manager of the dramas "The Sword of Peace" and "Pathway to Freedom" in Snow Camp, the Alamance County theater. "Advance reservations are up 10 percent, and group sales inquiries are up."
Parker, of the drama institute, points to a graph of the Consumer Confidence Index and outdoor drama attendance nationwide through the years. Always, when the first drops, the second goes up, and the index is low these days. Long hours for those left on the job after others are laid off is another factor.
"The day of the two-week vacation is gone," Parker said. "People are taking more four and five-day vacations. That will play well for outdoor dramas, especially in North Carolina."
The news is not all good. State budget cuts have forced "First for Freedom" in Halifax to cancel its season this year. The show portrays events leading up to the April 12, 1776, signing of the Halifax Resolves, the first formal declaration of independence from Great Britain by an American colony.
Also closed this summer is "Listen and Remember" in Waxhaw, for construction of a multipurpose building on the site. The play is expected to resume next year.
The state budget shortfall also forced cancellation of the East Carolina University/Loessin Summer Theater season in Greenville, leaving 125 people out of work. The institute helped them get jobs at other dramas nationwide, Parker said.
No matter what the health of the economy, outdoor dramas always can bank on one selling point: the appeal of low-cost, educational dramas performed on or near sites where historic events took place.
"These dramas are delightful family entertainment and at the same time teach us about our heritage," Parker said. "We hear from public school teachers all the time, and from their students, about how much they've learned about North Carolina history through the dramas. They reinforce what students learn in class.
"They make history come alive."
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